[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 86 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 86

           Supporting the goals of International Women's Day.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 8, 2001

 Ms. Schakowsky (for herself, Mr. Lantos, Mrs. Lowey, Ms. Pelosi, Ms. 
    Millender-McDonald, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Conyers, Mr. 
 Blagojevich, Ms. Woolsey, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mrs. Meek of Florida, 
  Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Eshoo, Mrs. Jones of Ohio, Ms. Baldwin, Ms. 
 McCollum, Ms. McCarthy of Missouri, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. Barrett, Ms. 
Carson of Indiana, Ms. Norton, Ms. McKinney, Mrs. Davis of California, 
 Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mrs. Biggert, and Ms. Capito) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
   International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on the 
 Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 
 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the 
                jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Supporting the goals of International Women's Day.

Whereas all over the world women are contributing to the growth of economies, 
        participating in the world of diplomacy and politics, and improving the 
        quality of the lives of their families, communities, and nations;
Whereas women in the United States gained the right to vote in 1920, but women 
        in many other countries are still fighting for their voices to be heard 
        in the political process;
Whereas pervasive discrimination continues to deny women full political and 
        economic equality, and is often the basis for violations of the basic 
        human rights of women;
Whereas the lives and health of women continue to be endangered by violence 
        which is directed at them simply because they are women;
Whereas violence against women is a social problem affecting women, children, 
        and families around the world;
Whereas violence against women includes rape, genital mutilation, sexual 
        assault, domestic violence, honor killings, sexual trafficking in women, 
        dowry-related violence, female infanticide, sex-selection abortion, 
        forced pregnancy, forced sterilization, forced abortion, and forced use 
        and nonuse of contraceptives;
Whereas the World Health Organization asserts that domestic violence causes more 
        death and disability among women between the ages of 15 and 44 than 
        cancer, or than malaria and traffic accidents combined;
Whereas at least 1 out of every 3 women and girls has been beaten or sexually 
        abused in her lifetime;
Whereas at least 1 out of every 6 women and girls living in the United States 
        has been beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime;
Whereas 1 out of every 4 women who have been pregnant has been abused while 
        pregnant;
Whereas illegal trafficking in women and children involves between 1,000,000 and 
        2,000,000 women and children each year, of whom 50,000 are transported 
        into the United States;
Whereas sexual violence, including marital rape, has been denounced as a major 
        cause of the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS among women;
Whereas 130,000,000 girls and young women have been subjected to female genital 
        mutilation, and it is estimated that 10,000 girls are at risk of being 
        subjected to this practice in the United States;
Whereas women still earn less, own less property, and have less access to 
        education, employment, and health care than do men;
Whereas, on March 8, 1857, women working in clothing and textile factories in 
        New York City staged a landmark protest against inhumane working 
        conditions and low wages, leading to the formation of the first women's 
        labor union, the Women's Trade Union League, to gain basic workplace 
        rights;
Whereas during the last century March 8 has become known as International 
        Women's Day, and is a day on which women, often divided by ethnicity, 
        language, culture, and income, come together to celebrate a common 
        struggle for equality, justice, and peace; and
Whereas the people of the United States should be encouraged to participate in 
        International Women's Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the goals of International Women's Day;
            (2) recognizes and honors the women in the United States 
        and in other countries who have fought and continue to struggle 
        for gender equality and women's rights;
            (3) reaffirms its commitment to ending discrimination and 
        violence against women, to ensuring the safety and welfare of 
        women, and to pursuing policies that guarantee the basic rights 
        of women both in the United States and in other countries; and
            (4) encourages the President to--
                    (A) affirm his commitment to pursue policies to 
                protect the health and rights of women; and
                    (B) issue a proclamation calling upon the people of 
                the United States to observe International Women's Day 
                with appropriate programs and activities.
                                 <all>